RESTORING THE JOURNEY – Reviving travel to Jordan and Egypt

LEXINGTON, Kentucky — On April 22, a delegation of US travel leaders will embark on “Restoring the Journey: Support Travel to Egypt and Jordan,” a six-day visit of the tourism infrastructure of Egypt and Jordan.

These leaders within the United States travel industry are undertaking a major project to support their colleagues in Jordan and Egypt, where earlier political reform has reduced the normal torrent of tourists to a trickle. They are on a mission to review the region’s timeless appeal and assess current travel conditions.

The delegation includes leaders of top outbound-producing travel associations — NTA, United States Tour Operators Association, American Society of Travel Agents, and Adventure Travel Trade Association — along with tour operators and travel journalists, including a representative of the Society of American Travel Writers.

The trip provides an avenue for industry leaders to reach out to the region, according to Lisa Simon, president of NTA. “Together with our partners, the Egyptian Tourist Authority, Jordan Tourism Board, and USTOA, we determined the best way to show that the tourism industry cares is to go there,” said Simon, “We want to see the destinations for ourselves, meet with Egyptian and Jordanian tourism officials, and then share our story when we return.”